The Sheppey Crossing was shut to drivers trying to leave the island after a car broke down.

Initially reported from the scene as a crash, the bridge was closed to allow recovery services to remove the broken down car from the carriageway, which has no hard shoulders.

The vehicle stopped just before the rise on the south-bound side of the crossing, heading off the island.

Drivers were advised to use the old crossing to leave the island while the car was recovered.

The crossing was closed for nearly an hour, and is now open.

Deborah Roberts, 42, and her eight-year-old son Marshall died on July 1 last year on the Sittingbourne-bound carriageway when their stationary car was hit by a van.

An inquest heard their car appeared to have broken down at the time of the crash.

The design of the crossing has been criticised and new safety measures introduced after several serious accidents, including the UK's largest pile up.